Something There
by Abarero
Summary: There's always that distinction. The before your felt something for your best friend and the after. Bankotsu POV. JakotsuBankotsu.


Author's Notes : Written for my friend bakayasha14 for Christmas. A bit of a different angle on the pairing than I usually take. I hope you enjoy!

Story is in Bankotsu POV

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Something There

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Jakotsu was never the type one would call sentimental. It wasn't that he didn't have any sweet or loving moments in him; it was his presentation that just always managed to ruin any possibly romantic endeavors.

He was the type that said he had a surprise gift for you and then you'd open your bedroom door to find him sprawled out nude on your bed. He was the type to forego any form of greeting card, flowers or chocolates in favor of less-traditional gifts like a pet boa constrictor or a pair of boxers that read "hot stuff" across the rear.

Our friend Suikotsu had often joked that Jakotsu would never find someone willing to put up with all his antics, and there were times I had to agree. I think as Jakotsu's best friend and roommate, I'd seen the brunt of his romantic catastrophes. The boa constrictor (formerly named 'Ai' now named 'Urameshii') had been in our apartment a year, the boxers from two years ago were in a box in the bottom of the closet.

Then something happened that changed everything I thought I knew about Jakotsu and about myself.

I started to fall for him.

It started out minor. I'd find myself staring at him for long periods of time or letting my hand linger on his when doing something simple like passing the salt. These were things I easily brushed off; things I buried away in my subconscious in hopes it would never rear its ugly head.

Oh but it did, and in a grandiose way at that. Things began to escalate when I noticed how frustrated I'd get when Jakotsu went out on dates. But I consoled myself that I was just the "best friend" jealous that my friend was spending time with someone else. This excuse kept things simmering for awhile, a half-aware, half-denied beginning of a _something_ that I felt for him.

And that _something_ wasn't about to stay quiet for long...  
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Jakotsu was primping. _Shamelessly primping_, I noted with a frown. This was the type of primping that was accompanied by Jakotsu hitting on something, or more specifically, some guy. I suppose I was used to it; this hourly event was something of a ritual for Jakotsu before a date. This time though, I _knew_ it wasn't for a date.

"Didn't you just go to the library yesterday?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Mou Bankotsu, you don't understand. This is about _love_."

"Love with someone who is straight _and_ taken?" The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. Jakotsu glared.

"Oh I get it, you're just jealous because you're stuck here all alone."

"That has nothing to do with it." It was a weak reply and I knew it. But my defenses were falling apart and I had to quickly put them back in check.

The longer I could see Jakotsu out of my peripheral vision, the stronger my possessive streak became. I had to quash it, and fast. Lifting my glass from the counter, I stared. Tilting it back and forth, watching the ice cubes melt in the liquid through the clear glass. It was tranquility in the mess of denied feelings my life had become.

Tranquility that was broken when Jakotsu spoke.

"Well I'm going. Inuyasha's too much of a cutie to miss out on."

What happened next was a blur.

I recall the pain, the shards of glass imbedding themselves into my hand. The words, cruel words, that escaped my mouth as I crushed the glass in pure rage.

"He's got a girlfriend! It's an unrequited love, Jakotsu. Get the hell over it!"

Jakotsu looked shocked, but not an angered-shocked like I would have expected of him. It was merely as if something had surprised him. He hurried over to me, cradling my bleeding hand in his. Murmured words finally bringing me crashing back down to earth.

"Bankotsu, look at me."

The dam had broken; and as I turned to face him, I had a feeling he'd seen the outwash of the flood. No friend- best or otherwise- got this upset over a mere crush. The charade was over and it was time I owned up to everything.

I could feel his delicate fingers pulling the glass out of my flesh and distantly I acknowledged how painful it was. I flinched, but said nothing as I watched my friend clean the wound.

The room was silent save the dripping of spilt liquid, and every so often, a falling drop of my blood. My hand tingled in his grip; an ache that had nothing to do with my cut hand was growing stronger.

"You should have said something."

At first, his words confused me and I looked up to him in hopes he'd clarify. But the moment his eyes met mine, I knew. He knew, he understood, and he was- by what I could gather from his tone- almost relieved to know.

"But no, you had to be an idiot about it and ruin a good glass, didn't you?"

His tone was light, conveying a strange mixture of regret, joy and endearment.

"Jakotsu..."

My breath caught in my throat as he brought my bloody hand to his lips and gently licked my palm. It was almost with a reverence that he did this, as if he was savoring it; his tongue ran across my hand, followed by a gentle kiss where blood had once been.

I was certain my heart was beating so loudly that he had to have hear it as well. And its thunderous tempo definitely missed a few beats when Jakotsu dropped my hand and captured my lips with his. He wasted no formalities, taking full advantage of me as his tongue opened my mouth to him. The coppery taste of my blood was still in his mouth as his arms found their way around my body.

Heart still racing, lidded eyes opening, I stared at him as he pulled back.

"You have no idea," Jakotsu paused to catch his breath, "how happy you've just made me."

I smiled then. There was nothing left to hide.

"Why? Because I just got blood and glass all over the kitchen?"

We laughed; our foreheads leaning forward against one another's. There didn't need to be confessions of love, there didn't need to be long drawn out discussions of feelings; we just _knew_ that there was _something_ there and that _something_ was mutual and that was all that mattered in the world at that moment.

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Years later, things haven't changed at all.

Jakotsu has developed a bit of a kink for personally attending to any and all of my injuries, especially those that involve me bleeding. For my birthdays, I would be disappointed if I got a gift from him that was considered normal or traditionally romantic. And if a surprise gift of mine didn't involve Jakotsu and nudity in some manner, I would be horribly let down.

Sure he's a bit weird, but it's what keeps life interesting- for both of us.

THE END


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